


Save Them, Even from Themselves

by Kiyomisa



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Speculation, Wishful Thinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-12
Updated: 2018-11-12
Packaged: 2019-08-22 13:46:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16599011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kiyomisa/pseuds/Kiyomisa
Summary: A speculation fic on how I want the Sleep Trio saved in KH3. Already been Jossed by some of the trailers, but I don't care.





	Save Them, Even from Themselves

The Keyblade Graveyard was the most desolate place Kairi had ever seen. Nothing but cratered, barren rock as far as the eye could see, broken only by the stark silhouettes of keyblades. They stood, jutting from the ground, hundreds upon hundreds, each a grim reminder of a Wielder who’d died in the war. 

    The air was silent, but not empty. No, it was heavy and dense. Sound did not echo off the sandstone canyon walls as it should, but fell flat mere feet away. Kairi couldn’t shake the notion that it was because the space was filled with the ghosts of Wielders passed. 

    Lea must’ve felt the same way, since he made no teasing comment as she stuck as close as possible to him without actually clinging to him.  No, his cat-green eyes darted restlessly over the empty landscape, his long elegant fingers twitching as if he kept wanting to summon his keyblade.

    “And I thought the World That Never Was was depressing,” he muttered under his breath. “That place at least had the illusion of life.”

    Kairi nodded her agreement. “C’mon, let’s find that armored guy and get out of here.”

    “The princess is far from her kingdom.”

    Kairi and Lea spun, summoning their keyblades before the voice had even finished speaking. She’d never forget that deep voice. It haunted her dreams still, sometimes emanating from Riku’s body like a terrifying ventriloquist’s act, sometimes from the body standing before her now.  Tall, broad shouldered, deeply tanned with the yellow eyes and silver hair of one corrupted by Darkness. 

    “Ansem,” she acknowledged flatly. 

    “This is a desolate place for a flower such as you,” Ansem remarked, then gestured at her keyblade.  “Though I see this flower as grown thorns since last we met.”

    Kairi lifted her keyblade defiantly. "I can protect my heart myself now, I don't have to hide from you."

    Ansem shook his head. "Your quest is pointless. The heart you seek has long since disappeared from this realm. It lies in Darkness, as must we all."

    Lea snorted. "We must be on the right track if you're here to tell us it's hopeless. Otherwise, why bother?"

    Ansem floated up into the air, his dark guardian manifesting behind him. "Only the seven brightest Lights will bring forth the χ-blade. Are your hearts bright enough?"

    Lea smirked cockily and spun his keyblade around once, as if it were one of his old chakram. "Guess we're gonna find out." He leapt forward, Kairi right behind him. The dark guardian shifted in front to protect its master, blocking Lea's blow, which let Kairi dart around it to deliver her own strike. Ansem simply raised a protective cage of dark Lightning.

    Her keyblade bounced off the cage, and the energy of it sparked up her arms, a sharp painful jolt as if her limbs had gone to sleep and awakened all at once. Kairi hissed and jumped back out of range of Ansem's retaliatory dark energy geyser, shooting up from the ground where she'd been standing a split second before. 

    "Burn, Baby!" Lea shouted, and he ignited, flames starting at his feet and swirling outward in a fiery-whirlwind. Ansem and his guardian fell back, smoldering.

     Kairi took the opportunity to raise her keyblade--"Freeze!"--and shot a bolt of ice from the tip of her blade. Merlin had taught them that if an enemy has no elemental weakness, that quickly switching between two opposing elements could stun them, forcing their bodies from one extreme to another. 

    While the magic had certainly hurt him, Ansem returned to the fight, strong as ever. Kairi lost track of how long they spent, she and Lea, dancing in tandem, striking small blows when they could, trying to wear him down. 

    Ansem jumped back from her latest attack and flew up, out of range. He raised his arms. "Come--Darkness!" The entire sky darkened, then began to fall, hundreds of anti-shooting stars of darkness. 

    Kairi leapt up, holding her keyblade aloft. "Light!" a parasol of golden Light spilled out above her and Lea, shielding them from most of the dark meteors. But there were just so many, and Kairi wasn't used to sustaining a spell for prolonged periods of time. The meteors began punching holes through the Light dome, and the whole thing melted away when Kairi was struck in the shoulder and leg. 

    "Kairi!" Lea called, catching her as she fell. In one smooth, continuous motion, he swept her underneath him, taking the brunt of the remaining meteors. Finally the attack petered out, and Lea collapsed on the ground next to Kairi. 

    Ansem floated casually down until he stood just before her. "Poor lost princess. Has your Light dimmed so much?" he said with mock pity. 

    "Back off," Lea growled weakly, raising himself on one shaking arm.

    Kairi struggled to her feet, her own legs shaking. Everything hurt, but she pushed past it, pointing her keyblade at Ansem, even as it shook in her unsteady hand. "Terra. I will save you," she declared. 

     "Terra is gone!" Ansem snarled, his mask of cool disdain breaking.

    "No." 

    Wind echoed hauntingly through the canyon, followed by a distinct metal clank. A figure of copper and bronze armor stepped from behind Ansem. Two spires rose on either side of the helmet, evoking an eagle-owl. 

    "No, Xehanort," the armor repeated. Its voice was hollow, reverberating through the helmet. It had an angry gravitas, though it sounded young. Very similar to Riku, when she thought about it. 

    "You--impossible!" Ansem snarled. 

    The armor said nothing more, just attacked with the largest keyblade Kairi had ever seen. The armor was slow, compared to most of the wielders Kairi knew, but its blows struck hard and it barely noticed any it took. 

    Kairi let herself kneel again, confident that the armor would protect them for the moment. Lea got himself into a kneeling position next to her and pulled an ether from his satchel. "Here, you're better at Light spells than me."

    Kairi took it. "I think Cure comes first."

    Lea shook his head. "Don't bother, I've got plenty of potions, here. You go help out bronze-britches over there."

    Kairi downed both the ether and the potion, the vanilla and mint flavors mixing nicely together. She felt the tingling rush of restoration and she leapt into action.  To her surprise, it was easy to coordinate with the armor. The more she fought alongside it, the more it felt like she was fighting next to Riku. 

    She found herself facing off against the dark guardian and she pulled at her newly restored magic. "Not this time," she declared, and Light burst from the end of her keyblade in a shower of sparks, like the fireworks she used to set off with Sora and Riku on the beach. 

    The Light burned splotches through the Heartless until it finally disintegrated away. 

    Ansem struck the armor with a spell, sending its keyblade flying, then turned to face her. She dodged his attack and readied to block a follow-up, but the armor grabbed him from behind, locking him in place. 

    "Now, Wielder," the armor commanded.

    Kairi gathered as much Light as she could, just as Queen Minnie had taught her. Her skin started to glow, brilliant white-golds and sunrise-pinks. The warmth grew within her until she thought she would burst. 

    "Come back! Terra!" she shouted, channeling all her Light through her keyblade and blasting Ansem with the beam, straight in his chest. The Light enveloped both Ansem and the armor, and a shadow fled out of Ansem's body. It was a vague, transparent thing; a hunched, robed figure like the one that had appeared in the Secret Place right before Destiny Islands had fallen into Darkness. The shadow faded and was gone--destroyed or fled, Kairi didn't know. 

    The Light dimmed--Ansem's body stood limp, head bowed, held up by the armor. Then, in a slow, halting landslide, the armor came apart and collapsed to the ground. The body swayed on its feet, but remained upright. It slowly lifted its head. Long lashes fluttered, and opened. 

    The eyes were not the corrupted yellow-orange of those immersed in darkness. No, they were a deep sapphire, soft and gentle like Sora's. 

    "Terra?" Kairi asked, just to make sure. 

    He blinked, then smiled, small and slow as if he weren't used to it. "Thank you." It was not Ansem's deep, satiny tones--that was the voice from the armor, no longer distorted by echoes. 

    Kairi lowered her keyblade in relief. "Thank the Light," she breathed out. 

    Lea sauntered over and gave Terra the once-over. "So--you're Ven's friend."

    Terra startled and stood straighter at the name. "You know Ven? Where is he? Is he okay?"

    Lea shook his head. "I met him a long time ago--when he visited Radiant Garden. He vanished around the same time you and Aqua did. Last we know, Aqua was taking him somewhere safe. We think he's okay--just hidden."

    Terra's expression shifted from anxious to incredibly sad, and he looked down at his hand, flexing it as if trying to grasp something. "Aqua--Aqua fell into the Darkness trying to save me."

    Kairi was amazed--his actual features hadn't changed, but he looked so much younger without Xehanort controlling him. She laid a hand on his arm, not sure if it would be welcome, but need to offer the comfort anyway. "We know. She's still there, in the Realm of Darkness. But our friends Riku and Mickey have gone to bring her back."

    Lea nodded. "Yeah, if anyone can do it, it's those two. They've escaped Darkness before."

    Terra didn't say anything, just continued to look at his empty hand. 

    Kairi looked to Lea, but he just shrugged. 

    "Terra," she began carefully. "We need your help. We need to stop Xehanort and the Organization once and for all. Can you help us?"

     Terra shook his head and dropped his hand. "I don't know. Xehanort lost the ability to summon the keyblade while he possessed me. I'm not sure if I've lost it as well." Then he clenched his fist and looked up at them, eyes blazing with determination. "But I'll do what I can."

    Lea grinned and slung his skinny arm around Terra's broad shoulders. "Great! And between you and me, I know a guy that can probably help with your--performance issues."

*~*~*~*~*

    It was strange, being back in the Realm of Darkness. Riku remembered the dark grey and blue stones, carved and curved in strange formations; squat, mushrooming pillars, and delicate arches, some collapsed into sharp grasping claws.  But he hadn't run into the remnants of a lost world the previous times he'd been here. The empty streets of the castle village were creepy enough in and of itself, but the way things twisted and were broken and suspended in midair as if everything was slowly being sucked up into nothingness...

    It was a reminder that Darkness didn't just exist, it consumed. 

    Riku dispatched the last Heartless and watched as the pink heart spiraled up into the ether, returning to Kingdom Hearts. He wondered briefly who the Heartless had been, before. A shop keeper from this lost town? Someone's mother? Whoever they were, he hoped they had better luck in their next life. 

    "Riku? You okay?" Mickey asked, concern evident in his large eyes. 

    Riku let out a sigh, then looked down at his friend with a smile. "Yeah, let's keep going."

    Mickey eyed him a moment longer, but didn't press. 

    The Heartless were getting stronger the further they went, but they were also thinning out and Riku and Mickey had more downtime between attacks to recover. They followed the half-lost road out of town, back into the wild landscape of the Darkness.  Hard stone eventually gave way to soft, dark sand, and Riku could hear the familiar sound of waves on a shore. 

    He pulled to a stop, looking out over the dark ocean. Light bounced along the black waters. He still wasn't sure if the Light was a moon, or a distant view of the Realm of Light. "This is where Sora and I were, after the fight with Xemnas," Riku remarked. 

    Mickey gazed out as well. "Gosh. How did you get out?"

    Riku smiled at the memory. "Kairi had sent out a letter in a bottle. Somehow it washed up here. When Sora read it, the door to Light opened. I think their hearts reached out and connected together, even through the realms."

    Mickey let out a quick delighted laugh. "And your heart too. You're also connected," the king assured him. 

    Riku didn't doubt that his heart was connected to Kairi's and Sora's, but he thought it wasn't quite the same way that theirs were. Before he could say anything though, a fountain of Darkness erupted under their feet.

     Riku was knocked back by the force and he hit a pillar of rock hard. The air left his lungs in a painful rush, and it took him a few moments to get his breath back and open his eyes. 

    Mickey had his keyblade out and was battling a fast, dark shadow. Riku could only watch in a daze as the king and the shadow connected and shot away in a flurry of lighting fast engagements. Then the shadow leapt back and lifted an arm in a summoning motion. Ribbons of Darkness shot out from the shadow and enveloped Mickey, squeezing tight. Mickey let out a cry and dropped his keyblade onto the sand. 

    The shadow calmly walked over and bent down to pick it up. Riku struggled up into a crouch, trying to get his breath back. 

    "This keyblade..." the shadow said. The voice had a rasp to it, but was high and feminine. 

    Mickey stilled in his struggles. "Is that--?"

    The Darkness bled off the shadow, dissipating into the air leaving behind a tall willowy form with cobalt-silver hair. "Mickey...you're too late," she said, turning to face them with bright, cat-yellow eyes. 

    "Aqua, no.." Mickey declared in dismay. 

    Riku stared at her. He'd met her once...shortly after Terra. The memory was vague-he'd been so young--but he had an idea of warm eyes and a soft laugh. 

    Her eyes weren't warm now, but cold and angry. Her clothes were in tatters and red and black markings were bleeding up her legs and arms, like the body-suit that had adorned Riku anytime Darkness had taken over him.

     Riku still stood and faced her. He spread his hands out. "Master Aqua, we're here to take you home. Don't do this."

    She glared at him. "You ask for compassion? All that's left in my heart is misery and despair and I want you to feel it!"

    Riku barely had time to summon his own keyblade in defense. Aqua was fast, possibly the fastest foe Riku had ever faced. Her blows weren't heavy, thank the Light, but it didn't count for much if he couldn't block them.  He was alone, against a master that had over a decade of experience on him. He spotted a slim opening, and struck out.

    Aqua jumped gracefully back, buoyed in the air by her magic. She floated there and gestured at him, casting the same ribbon spell she'd used to ensnare Mickey. There was no way to dodge. Riku flung up his Dark Barrier. The sphere of dark energy surrounded him, flickering purple and black where Aqua's ribbons slithered over it, trying to gain purchase.

    "You don't have to do this, Aqua. You held on for ten years, don't give in to Darkness now," Riku tried.

    She pressed her spell on, her face cold and hard. "You're using Darkness right now," she snarled back. 

    Riku could feel the strain of the spells in his body as surely as if he had locked blades with her instead of spells. His arms ached. "I control the Darkness, it doesn't control me," he gritted out. Then he took in a sharp breath and in a burst of energy, exploded his shield out. The sudden blast tore the shadow ribbons to shreds. Aqua might have more powerful magic than he did, but Riku had more experience wielding Darkness without giving into it. 

    Aqua fell back down to the ground, stumbling on her landing. She was disoriented from the blast. Riku pressed the advantage, using time magic to speed forward so fast he practically teleported, and struck while she was off kilter. 

    Despite the boost in speed, she blocked all of his blows, though he did manage to keep her too busy to strike back. Riku could only hope that his stamina might outlast hers. His hope was rewarded just as his speed spell wore off and he managed to disarm her, knocking her prone on the ground. 

    Riku stood over her, keyblade pointed at her chest. Aqua groaned and started to push herself up, then froze when she opened her eyes to see him standing over her. She lay there, upper body raised on her forearms, and she glared at him, corrupt-yellow eyes flashing. "Go on," she hissed. "Finish it. End this empty, pointless existence."

    Riku shook his head. "No." He let his keyblade vanish, then turned his hand palm up. Riku smiled. "Come home, Aqua."

    She glared at him a moment more, then her eyes widened in surprise. The yellow flickered into green. "Terra?" she breathed, gazing at him in disbelief. 

    Riku felt a burst of warm pride that she saw something of Terra in him. Terra had been the one to pass the legacy of the keyblade to him after all; the ability to protect his friends. Terra had been a towering presence of strength to five-year-old Riku, yet still warm and gentle--like the best sun-warmed rocks on the beach. 

    Aqua closed her eyes and shook her head. When she opened them again, her eyes were her own piercing blue. The dark markings receded down her limbs before washing away entirely. She took his hand, her long delicate fingers rough with the same blade callouses as his own. 

    "Welcome back, Aqua," Mickey said, approaching with a smile. 

    She smiled, a little sheepishly. "Thank you. Both of you."

    Riku let go of her hand. "Of course. Come on, with any luck, Sora and Kairi will have Terra and Ven waiting for us when we get back."

    Aqua lifted her hand to her heart. "Terra, Ven," she repeated wistfully. She nodded in resolve. "Let's go home."

*~*~*~*~*

    Sora walked down the endless, pristine white walls of Castle Oblivion, grateful that Donald and Goofy were with him. Their background bickering kept him from focusing too much on the un-varying blankness of the castle. Though filled with elegant carvings along the walls, it seemed flat. The air was neither cold nor warm; sound carried in clarity without regard to distance, as if it were all being piped in through headphones. 

    There was no feeling from the place--not the creepy unsettlement of the Underworld, nor the bright cheery welcome of Disney Town. It had no personality--just untapped potential, like one of Gepetto's unfinished marionettes. 

    That thought somehow triggered the idea--memory?--of a girl. A girl with sad eyes and black hair. Sora shook his head against the sudden pang of grief that accompanied it. Maybe it was someone from Roxas's past and he was getting ghost emotions from his Other. Or someone from his missing year, when Namine had rearranged his memories in this very castle. 

    No. He had to focus on finding Ven right now, and Yen Sid had been sure that this is where Aqua had hidden him to keep him safe. The hallway they were in abruptly ended in a T, and Sora drew up short, causing Donald to run into him. Ugh, all this white was throwing off his depth perception. 

    "Gawrsh, which way should we go?" Goofy asked, peering down one way, then the other. 

    "Does it matter? The castle will just change on us again," Donald griped. 

    That's what made exploring it so difficult. Though the rough layout on each floor remained the same, every time they entered a room it might choose a different illusion from their memories to emulate. Nothing like stepping from blinding white marble into the brilliant greens of Tarzan's jungle. 

    "Sora?" Goofy asked. 

    Sora tilted his head to the side. "May your heart be your guiding key," he murmured, remembering Yen Sid's advice. He closed his eyes and lifted his hand to his heart. "Ven, where are you?"

    This way.

    It wasn't a voice exactly--more like the impression of a voice--but there was also a faint tugging on his heart. He heart-saw the impression of a thread, iridescent and magic leading from him off to his left. Sora opened his eyes. "This way," he repeated. They wound through three more passages, a room modeled after Beast's castle and down a spiraling stair. The stair ended at a blank wall with a slight recession in it, just begging for a picture to be hung there. 

    "What!? Of all the--" Donald's frustration boiled over into unintelligible quacks, but Sora suspected underneath that was the kind of swearing that got your mouth washed out with soap. 

    Goofy scratched his head. "But why would a stairway not go anywhere?"

    "Because this *%&$^$*$#* castle is messing with us!" Donald shouted. 

    "I was sure this was the way to go," Sora protested. He frowned and closed his eyes again. That tugging, glimmering thread led directly into the wall. He opened his eyes again and summoned his keyblade, pointing it at the recess. The familiar beam of Light shone from the tip. When it hit the wall, the silhouette of a keyhole flickered into existence for a moment, before the Light splashed out, filling in the recession. Then the Light faded and the wall had become a door. 

    Sora shot a triumphant grin at Donald. "Told ya."

    The glare Donald leveled at him promised a fireball to the butt if he didn't watch it. So Sora quickly opened the door and stepped through. There was a brief shimmer of the basic white walls, but it quickly settled into an illusion. 

    They now stood in a circular courtyard, filled with a rich vibrant lawn. In the center was a circle of stone tile, decorated with golden spiral patterns. Elegant, free-standing arches in white stone marked the exits, and were wound with gentle climbing vines.  The courtyard seemed to have been cut into the top of a cliff, they were surrounded by tall, rounded spires of rock. It reminded Sora of the mountains in Mulan's home. It was night, the soft sleepy indigo of just after twilight. This was contrasted by the welcoming yellow glow of lamps lining the pathways.  The sound of water lapping at the base of the rock spires came up from far below, at least a couple of stories. 

    "Gawrsh, sure is pretty," Goofy mused in appreciation.

    "Where are we?" Donald asked, peering around.

    "I don't know, I've never been here before," Sora answered. "But it feels like--home." It wasn't tropical like destiny islands--but it made Sora think of welcoming smiles and teasing hair-ruffles and sleepy contentment. 

    He started up the path that wound round the side of the central spire. The ground was covered in the same mossy grass, with the occasional bare patch of rock showing through. It felt familiar, comfortable, as if he'd done it hundreds of times before. The path opened into a bigger, irregular yard, circled by a lone stone wall cut from the mountain itself. 

    To his right was an elevated pool that emptied into a lower basin via a tranquil waterfall, lily-pads riding the small waves. To his left, a giant, leafy tree shaded a table and chairs made of thick slabs of the mountain's rock. Sora could just see tufts of dark gold hair over the back of the closest chair. 

    "Hello?" he called, heading over. There was no answer, and when Sora jogged round to the front, he skidded to a halt so quickly he nearly toppled over. 

    "Roxas?" he said in disbelief. There, slumped asleep in the chair, was his Other. Though, the outfit was not one Sora had seen before. Roxas had never worn armored shoes or shoulder-pad. Sora reached out and shook the other boy's shoulder. "Hey, Roxas, wake up."

    "That's not Roxas," a voice said condescendingly. 

    Sora turned to the new-comer, and drew his keyblade at the familiar sight of a black, Organization trench-coat. The man wasn't a member that Sora recognized, with a mane of rose-pink hair and aqua-marine eyes. 

    "Who are you?" Sora demanded.

    The man smirked. "I'm not surprised you don't remember me. That little witch reset your memories to before we met. I am Marluxia, Master of Castle Oblivion. And I'd like to thank you for finding this hidden chamber for me. It's been quite elusive."

    Sora snorted. "Hunh. Some master you are."

    Marluxia ignored this, and moved towards the sleeping boy. Sora, Donald and Goofy all moved protectively, blocking Marluxia from him. He stopped, looking down on them in amusement. 

    "It's curious--Ventus hasn't aged at all. I wonder if that's because of this castle, or a side-effect of hiding his heart in another?"

    Sora glanced back at the sleeping boy. "Ventus?" This was the keyblade wielder from 10 years ago? But he looked the same age as Sora--and just like Roxas. Sora glared at Marluxia. "What do you mean his heart's hidden in another?"

    Marluxia shook his head. "Did you never wonder why your Nobody looked so different from you, when the rest of us look exactly as we had before?" He stepped closer. "After all, you've had other hearts hidden within you."

    Sora sucked in a sharp breath as realization dawned. "Kairi."

    Marluxia nodded. "Your heart was already opened by the time she joined it. However, unlike the princess, Ventus never left. He's still--" the Nobody took a step closer "--right--" and another "--here." And he arrogantly tapped a finger on Sora's chest. 

    Sora stepped back and covered his heart with his own hand. "Ventus is in me?"

    Marluxia chuckled cruelly. "Yes. Why do you think the keyblade came to you, when it was intended for Riku? It sensed Ventus within you. It never would have chosen you otherwise."

    Sora felt a spike of anger, but he pushed it down. "Maybe, maybe not. But if Ven trusted his heart to me, that makes him my friend, and I'll never be ashamed of needing my friend's help."

    Marluxia took a step back. "I'm afraid I can't let you wake him up." He held his hand out to the side and in a flash of pink and black swirls of energy, and a few stray sakura petals, a stylized scythe materialized in his hand. 

    Sora crouched at the ready, could sense Donald and Goofy doing the same either side of him.

    "I won't let you have him--his heart or his body."

    "No? I am different than the last time you faced me," Marluxia cautioned.

    Sora gripped his keyblade tighter. "So am I," he promised. 

    

    The fight with Marluxia was tough--but it wasn't the toughest Sora had fought. It just seemed like Marluxia had unlimited stamina. Maybe he was healing himself somehow? Sora and Donald sure had used Cure a few times, and Goofy was probably running low on potions by now. 

    At least Marluxia's smug confidence had disappeared. He clearly had expected to have won by now. So at least they were in the same, frustrated boat. 

    Sora could feel himself flagging--he'd need another potion soon. Marluxia swiped at him and Sora rolled to the side, barely dodging. But when Marluxia came around with another attack immediately after, Sora was too off balance to do anything about it. 

    "Sora!"

    In the next instant, Goofy was there, catching the curved blade of the scythe on his shield. 

    Marluxia snarled. "You meddlesome mutt!"

    "FIRE!" Donald yelled, and blasted the Nobody with a giant ball of flame. 

    Marluxa was knocked back and he skidded to a halt, just managing to stay on his feet. "Enough!" He gestured and dozens of black, thorny bramble-vines sprung up around Donald and Goofy, ensnaring them. 

    "Donald! Goofy!" Sora cried, heading for his friends, but another burst of vines intercepted him and he had to dodge out of thier grasp. 

    Marluxia dashed in, swinging his scythe. Sora didn't have time to think for the next flurry of exchanges; could barely keep up. Marluxia was steadily wearing him out. 

    Sora parried the next blow, but the curve of the scythe caught on the tooth of the keyblade, pulling Sora off his feet and tossing him hard across the ground. Panting, on shaking arms, Sora pushed himself up. He'd gotten one leg under him, still on one knee, when cold metal pressed against his throat.  Marluxia lifted Sora's chin with his scythe, forcing him to look up. 

    "Look at you. And to think, last time I called you a hero. But without your friends, you're nothing. You're done--all alone." He pulled the scythe back, raising it for a finishing blow. 

    I'm here.

    Sora felt the ghost of hands on his shoulders, supportive and kind. Strength flowed back into him, as if Cure had been cast on him. Sora caught the scythe on his keyblade and glared defiantly up at Marluxia. 

    "You're wrong. I'm not alone," he declared and shoved with all his might. 

    Marluxia stumbled back, eyes wide in surprise. Sora launched himself forward, pulling on his magic. Wind gathered around him, glowing a faint, spring green, and when he swung his keyblade, he flung the power out along it. It manifested as three vortexes, each rotating around the other. They picked up Marluxia and tossed him back and forth as easily as if he were a paper bag. The mini-tornadoes gave a final gust, throwing him high into the air, then dissipated. Marluxia crashed hard onto the ground and lay there. 

    "You want more?" Sora demanded as the Nobody gingerly pushed himself up. 

    Marluxia glared back. "You can't win. The χ-blade will be reformed, and Darkness will be restored to its natural place."

    Sora lifted his keyblade. "Not gonna happen. 'Cause I'm not alone, and my friends and I will stop you."

    Marluxia let out a disgusted snort, then disappeared into a portal of Darkness. As soon as he was gone, the brambles disappeared, freeing Donald and Goofy. After checking with them, to make sure they were okay, Sora went back to Ventus's sleeping body. 

    "That was you, right? That helped me? Thanks." Sora fell silent as he thought. If Ven's heart was inside of him, how was he gonna get it out? Last time, with Kairi, he'd had to use the Keyblade of Heart, and that had turned him into a Heartless. He didn't really want to do that again. There had to be another way. 

    Sora folded his hands over his heart and closed his eyes. He'd never purposely visited his Heart Station before; he'd just been pulled there in dreams, or moments of intense emotional strain. In fact, he'd thought they were just dreams, until Riku described the same thing--

    A pillar in Darkness, topped with a floor of stained glass picturing the person whose heart it was, and the things they held near and dear. Sora kept that image in mind as he tried to draw inward into his own heart. Soon enough he felt that familiar gentle falling sensation, like when Tink's pixie dust was beginning to wear off. 

    Below him was the circle of stained glass, with Riku, Kairi, Donald and Goofy most prominent in the background.  He lightly touched down, feeling gravity take hold again. He looked around. Four pathways flickered into being, made of suspended platforms of stained glass. They spiraled out and down around the pillar into the darkness. 

    "Ventus? Ven?" Sora called out. 

    The first platform to his left pulsed with the sweet grass-green Light of wind and healing magic. Sora jogged down the path. Soon enough a gleam of Light grew into another Heart Station.

    It pictured Ventus curled in repose along one side of the circle, portraits of Aqua and Terra haloing his head. Sora was a little surprised to see his own portrait there as well, but he supposed it made sense. 

    He slowed as he entered the circle. "Ven?" he tried again. 

    "Sora." 

    And there Ven was, looking just like Roxas. He even sounded like him; and yet--there was a gentle air to him that set him apart. Roxas was a good guy, but there was a hardness to him that wasn't there in Ven. 

    Sora smiled. "There you are. I found you."

    "Yeah, you did." Ven smiled back, but he seemed sad. 

    Sora tilted his head to the side. "What's wrong? Aren't you ready to wake up?"

    Ven hugged himself. "I know I should--but it's easier here. Safer. You've kept me safe."

    Sora stepped closer. "And I'll kep you safe out there. We all will." He took Ven's hands and cradled them in his own. "C'mon, Terra and Aqua are waiting for you."

    Ven took a deep breath and leaned forward, touching his forehead to Sora's. "Okay. I'm ready."

    The vision of the Heart Station faded, and Sora opened his eyes. His chest pulsed warmly, and then the warmth moved from his chest into his hands. Sora carefully unfolded them, and looked down to see Ven's heart. It glowed a soft read, and shone and glittered like a mini-star. Goofy and Donald made sounds of wonder, leaning in to peer at it. 

    Delicately, Sora guided the heart towards Ven's chest. The heart pulsed once more before melting into Ven's body. After another moment, Ven's eyelids fluttered, then opened fully. He smiled, more certain this time. "Thank you."

    Sora grinned back and held out his hand. "Let's go home."

    


End file.
